₦airaland Forum

President Goodluck Jonathan might
have kicked off the campaign for his
2015 reelection bid despite his
insistence that he has not declared
his ambition.
Indications to this effect emerged on
Saturday at the South-West
sensitisation rally organised by the
Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos.
Although the President who attended
the rally said it was not a political
campaign, he used the platform to
make a strong case for his reelection
come 2015, even as he stressed the
achievements of his administration.
President Jonathan attended the rally
with members of his cabinet, PDP
governors and national leaders of the
party, who repeatedly called on the
audience to vote for the President in
2015.
While Jonathan was cheered on by
the crowd, Vice-President Namadi
Sambo, the PDP National Chairman,
Adamu Mu’azu and other top
members of the party told the crowd
the President deserved a second
term.
In his speech, the President who was
adopted as PDP’s 2015 presidential
candidate, thanked the leadership of
the party for choosing him as its
candidate.
Adding that he had the right to refuse
the offer, Jonathan said the decision
to endorse him for the 2015
presidency was made by the party
and that no member of the PDP
could dictate who became what in
the party.
He said, “I also have the right of
refusal and I thank the party for
giving me the opportunity. The idea
of the rally is for us to come
together; for us to see our faces and
for us to dance and clap together, so
that we will know that we all belong
to one political party; the largest
political party in Africa.”
At the Lagos rally, President
Jonathan reeled out his
achievements. He said he had
established a Presidential Jobs Board
and that the board would “ create
three million jobs in the next one
year. That means in a few years, we
would solve the problem of
unemployment.”
The President also scored his
government high on the provision of
infrastructure, as well as
construction and rehabilitation of
roads and railways.
He said his government had created
opportunities for Nigerians to
participate in the oil sector more than
ever before.
He also thanked the leaders of the
PDP in the South-West for winning
Ekiti State governorship election,
saying the party was working hard to
win in all states in the zone.
He said, “I thank Ekiti people for
returning the state to the PDP. There
is no single PDP state in the South-
West, yet you remained committed.
We thank you for that position and
surely you will be rewarded. We are
here to bring our members together
but we will surely return for
campaign. When you are in Lagos,
you are addressing the whole country
because all Nigerians are
represented here.
“We continue to promise to transform
Nigeria; make changes and never go
back. We need all Nigerians to work
with us. In the next few years,
unemployment will continue to drop.
We are totally committed to changing
all sectors of the Nigerian economy.”
Speaking at the event, Mu’azu said
all members of the party were
committed to Jonathan’s second
term bid and that it was a reward for
the President’s “achievements in the
first term.”
He said, “We choose Lagos for this
rally because it is the most
populated and hosts most of the
economic activities in the country. It
is to reflect our unity in the South-
West and as a result of the unity, we
have started recovering our states in
the South-West. And in 2015, we will
win more states.
“Everybody knows that the PDP
controls the majority of the people in
the South-West. Therefore, we are
saying in 2015, we will take over
more states in the South-West.
“Mr. President, we want to assure
you that because your first term has
been so transforming, by the grace
of God, people of South-West and
the people of Nigeria will reward you
in 2015 by re-electing you as the
President of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria.”
“All leaders and members of the
party are committed to your coming
back as President and we pray that
Almighty God will favour us.”
Also speaking, the Chairman, PDP-GF
and Governor of Akwa Ibom State,
Godswill Akpabio, stated that the
ruling party was set to take over the
South-West from the opposition.
He said, “We have started winning
the South-West and, by the grace of
God, Lagos will soon fall and
become a PDP state.”
In the same vein, Vice-President
Sambo, said the South-West, and
Lagos State in particular, had
benefitted a lot from the present
administration in terms of
infrastructural development.
He urged the people of the zone to
support Jonathan in 2015 as they
supported him in 2011.
The opposition All Progressives
Congress however expressed its
disapproval of the event.
The National Publicity Secretary of
the APC, Lai Mohammed, said,
“Whatever name that rally was held
under, one thing is clear; it is a
campaign. It is a violation of our
electoral rules.
“And when you see a President
becoming the chief law-breaker in a
country, you cannot start talking
about the rule of law in that country.
“It is unfortunate that the INEC has
not got the courage to check this
illegality. With what has happened, I
don’t see how we can then sanction
any other party that does a similar
thing.
“It is a pity because this President
has no respect for any laws. And his
desire for re-election has blinded him
to all other things. It is unfortunate.”
But the Independent National
Electoral Commission on Saturday
said all parties were flouting the
electoral laws by engaging in such
activities outside of the stipulated
timeline for campaigns by law.
The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC
Chairman, Kayode Idowu, said this in
response to SUNDAY PUNCH enquiry
on INEC’s view on the Lagos rally.
“The rules on electoral campaigns
are there; all parties are flouting
those rules, without exception. All
parties across the divide are flouting
those rules. Why they are flouting
the rules is that there are gaps in the
law.
“The guidelines we are preparing are
intended to bridge (this). The law
states that the period for a political
party to campaign is 90 days before
elections. You can begin to debate:
What is the difference between a
political party and another entity that
isn’t? What is the implication?
“Another thing is that the law does
not talk about candidates. So, you
can begin to debate: Who is a
political candidate? What about if it
is the candidate? There are many
gaps that can be exploited and the
political parties have been exploiting
those gaps,” he said.
Idowu said the guideline, which INEC
was preparing, would be tabled at the
quarterly meeting held by the
commission and all political parties
this month. He added that they would
be expected to make final moves
towards the validation of electoral
guidelines.

http://www.punchng.com/news/jonathan-begins-2015-campaign/

Nigerian billionaire and Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has finally settled with the families of several youth who were killed or injured by rampaging troops guarding his multi-billion dollar cement factory in Gboko, Benue State, North-central Nigeria.
PREMIUM TIMES can authoritatively report that apart from settling those who were directly affected in the March 18 shootings, Mr. Dangote also upped his corporate social responsibility by approving that quarry machines be provided to youth in the communities to aid their quarry business.
The traditional ruler of Gboko, Gabriel Shosum, confirmed these during an interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday.
He said cheques were handed over to the beneficiaries at the multi-purpose conference hall of the cement company on August 22.
According to the monarch, each family that lost a youth got N5 million cheque while those injured received N2 million each.
“I witnessed the handing over of the cheques with some of my traditional rulers. The plant manager and the community relations director led the delegation of Dangote Cement. The monies were given ranging from N2mllion to N5million,” Mr. Shosum said.
“Those who were injured were given N2 million and each of the bereaved families got N5 million. The cheques were given on August 22 at the conference hall of the factory. I led the delegation of Gboko community to the meeting.
“The plant manager and the director in charge of community relations led the delegation of the Dangote Group,” he added.
He said peace was gradually returning to the community, adding that the community was still holding meetings with representatives of Dangote Group to resolving other contentious issues.
“We are still having meetings with communities around the factory area. I have just been informed that the company has directed that quarry machines be given to some youth in the community who are having difficulty in their stone breaking businesses,” he said.
“We are going to have another meeting with them (representatives of Dangote Group) in order to select a day the machines will be given out to the beneficiaries.
“We had requested Mr. Dangote to build schools and give loans to our youth to do business but we were told that when he returns from a trip abroad, he will handle those issues.”
PREMIUM TIMES had on June 30, after months of investigations, exposed the massacre of seven youth by soldiers at Mr. Dangote’s factory after demonstrators gathered to protest an earlier shooting, by a soldier, of a 19 year-old man.
Terhile Jirbo was the teenager whose shooting sparked the crisis. He was attacked for relieving himself near the cement factory and refusing to pack the waste with his mouth when a soldier ordered him to do so.
Mr. Jirbo survived the attack but the bullet tore his mouth apart and left him permanently disfigured.
Villagers, who responded after the shooting by staging what several witnesses said was a peaceful demonstration, met a bloody pushback by the troops.
Soldiers opened fire killing seven of the protesters including a woman, who was shot in the head at close range.
The 19-year-old woman, Doose Ornguze, a resident of Tsekucha, near Mbayion, survived the first shot at her, and was trying to crawl to safety before a soldier walked up close and fired into her head.
Ms. Ornguze was the parent figure for her two siblings, and managed to keep herself and two siblings in school, despite losing both parents years back.
Months of investigations by PREMIUM TIMES showed years of tension between Gboko community and Dangote Company, and exposed how neither the government nor the company reached out to the community or punished the trigger-happy soldiers.
Military and police authorities told this newspaper that investigations were ongoing several months after the attack.
The report by PREMIUM TIMES sparked outrage from local and foreign human rights groups who called for extensive and thorough investigations into the killings, and for punishment for the soldiers responsible for the attack.
The United States-based Human Rights Watch had called on the Nigerian government to “urgently investigate and bring to justice, those responsible for the alleged shooting by security forces Terhile Jirbo and the subsequent killing of peaceful protesters.”
The President, Institute for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, Anyakwee Nsirimovu, had said the attacks again showed the military’s lack of regard to human lives and must be immediately investigated.
“When these kinds of things happen and people see other ways of getting back at society, they readily pick on it. That is why it is easy for groups like Boko Haram to continue to have recruits all over the place because the structural violence and terrorism of the state,” Mr. Nsirimovu said.
“What happened in Gboko is an example of what turns ordinary people into taking extreme reaction against authority. Government must bring the killers of the youths to justice.”
Romy Mom, who heads the Abuja-based Lawyers Alert, a non-governmental organisation, had said the killings merely conformed to a history of violence by the Dangote group against the Mbayion community of Benue State.
Mr. Mom said Lawyers Alert was in the process of compiling such cases of violations when it received reports of the latest attacks. “For several years Mbayion community have cried and did everything to bring Dangote to the negotiation table but to no avail. It is a shame that it has taken the blood of the Gboko martyrs to bring him to the negotiation table,” Mr. Mom said.
Barely 24 hours after the report was published, Mr. Dangote arrived in Benue State where he met with state officials, including Governor Gabriel Suswam, leaders of Gboko and Mbayion community where the killings occurred.
Shortly after the meeting, Mr. Dangote named a high-powered committee to negotiate and reconcile with the aggrieved community.
The committee was headed by Joseph Makoju, the immediate past Chief Operating Officer of Dangote Group and former Managing Director, Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN.
While Mr. Dangote has reached what appears a settlement with the community, there are no indications the military has punished soldiers involved in the shooting.
Terhile Jirbo, the youth who was shot in the mouth for answering the call of nature, confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that all those directly affected by the shootings had been settled.
He expressed appreciation to PREMIUM TIMES for its in-depth report that brought the plight of the affected families to the world, thereby prodding Mr. Dangote to reach out to the community.
He said, “I was invited to the company (Dangote Cement plant) and was given a cheque in the presence of some of the company’s top officers and members of our community.”
Mr. Jirbo would not tell this newspaper how much he received as compensation but was happy that the world got to hear what the soldiers did to unarmed community people.
Asked how he intended to use the funds to improve his life, he explained that since he is yet to access the money which he said was paid into a dedicated account.
“When I get the money, I will know what to do with it. For now, I haven’t accessed the money,” he told PREMIUM TIMES.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Benue State Governor, Cletus Akwaya, said although the government was not part of the negotiation, he was aware that some form of consensus had been reached.
“The government was not directly involved because it had nothing to do with us. It was the community that had issues with the management of the company,” Mr. Akwaya said.
“Being an important personality in the country, courtesy demands that Mr. Dangote should be given state protocol reception by state government.
“But as per the discussion towards resolving the misunderstanding was strictly between the management of the company and the community. It was not a one day discussion because the issues were many.
https://m.premiumtimesng.com/headlines/168260-exclusive-dangote-compensates-families-of-gboko-7-slain-by-soldiers-at-his-factory.html

Russian helicopter, Mi-35M type.
Photo: airrecognition.com

The new contract for delivery of several state-of-the-art Mi-35 and Mi-171Sh helicopters has been recently signed between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Russian Federation.

This has been confirmed by the Deputy Director General of Rosoboronexport, Sergei Goreslavsky, in a statement obtained by airrecognition.com.

The contract was signed in August this year. Unfortunately, the official did not confirm the exact number of helicopters subject to delivery. According to previous statements by Nigeria’s DHQ, the most likely number is 6 or 7.

He emphasised that the models are in demand on the African continent, noted that Mozambique is also among the customers. Mr Goreslavsky revealed that Mi-171Sh flying machines are in demand on global markets. They can be delivered in various configurations, with air defence, reconnaissance equipment and missile weaponry.

The helicopter can carry a cargo of 4 tons maximum, or transport up to 36 paratroopers, or carry 12 injured on stretchers.

The offered models are on service in the Russian Armed Forces since 2009.

At the same time, several experts have expressed concerns over ability of the Russian side to carry out timely delivery due to crisis in Ukraine and US/EU sanctions imposed on Moscow.
Absolute majority of engines for Russian-made helicopters were supplied from Ukraine. Due to current crisis in the relations between the two countries, such cooperation is no more possible.

The order to procure extra helicopters was given by President Jonathan himself.

http://www.naij.com/290405-nigeria-awaits-delivery-of-russian-newest-helicopters.html

experimentist: Ceo4eva, apologies abeg I think say u dey book space.. Well done.

Wow! I'm amazed at ur level of maturity. It's rare on anonymous forum like this. Accepted! Keep it up!

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN (middle), Commissioner for Physical Planning & Urban Development, TPL. Toyin Ayinde (left), his Special Duties counterpart, Dr. Wale Ahmed (2nd right) and the General Overseer, the Synagogue Church of All Nations, Prophet Temitope Joshua (right), during an inspection of the site of the collapsed six storey structure being developed by the Synagogue Church of All Nations at Bolorunpelu, Ikotun-Egbe, Lagos on Sunday, September 14, 2014.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN (right) inspecting the site of the collapsed six storey structure being developed by the Synagogue Church of All Nations at Bolorunpelu, Ikotun Egbe, Lagos on Sunday, September 14, 2014.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN (right) and Commissioner for Physical Planning & Urban Development, TPL. Toyin Ayinde (2nd right) during an inspection of the site of the collapsed six storey structure being developed by the Synagogue Church of All Nations at Bolorunpelu, Ikotun-Egbe, Lagos on Sunday, September 14, 2014.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN (4th left), Commissioner for Physical Planning & Urban Development, TPL. Toyin Ayinde (3rd left), his Special Duties counterpart, Dr. Wale Ahmed (3rd right, behind) and the General Overseer, the Synagogue Church of All Nations, Prophet Temitope Joshua (right), during an inspection of the site of the collapsed six storey structure being developed by the Synagogue Church of All Nations at Bolorunpelu, Ikotun-Egbe, Lagos on Sunday, September 14, 2014.

Fashola calls for inquiry
NAMA probes mystery aircraft
Joshua shows ‘video’
Rescuers were still busy yesterday at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Ikotun on the outskirts of Lagos where a building collapsed, killing 44 persons —as of yesterday.
When the incident happened on Friday, 17 were said to have died.
Many are believed to be trapped underneath the six-storey building.
The church has declined comments on the number of persons in the building when it collapsed. Besides, it insists that nobody died in the incident.
Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola was at the scene yesterday. He called for an inquiry.
Government officials have said there was no approval for the erection of additional floors.
Commissioner for Physical Planning Olutoyin Ayinde, who was on Fashola’s entourage, said the church’s engineers were yet to present their permit to make such modifications.
Ayinde said: “Our meeting with the prophet was a closed-door meeting but it surrounds the collapsed building. It is a sad situation; lives have been lost and many others have been rescued.
“We use this opportunity to express our sympathy to the affected people.
“We have no proof that the church had permit to add to the existing structure. We have asked the engineering team to meet us and for about two hours now, no member of the team has come.
“We also have questions for them. Even if the building does not have approval, it ought to be built professionally. We have asked for their team and we hope in the course of the week, they would get to us.
“It is necessary to take the final inventory before we can say the number of people affected. Right now, we do not know how many people are involved. When a final inventory has been taken, the ministry of special duties will take a decision as regards relieve,” he added.
On whether the ýgovernment plans to seal the premises, Ayinde said: “There are no plans for that yet until investigation as to the cause of the collapse has been concluded.
“I have said I have no proof of a permit. Maybe they have one and are yet to show us. We will give them the opportunity to defend themselves and action can only be taken after investigation has been concluded.”
But the General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency, Mrs. Abimbola Animashaun, affirmed that the church had no approval.
She said: “We have investigated and found that they had no approval for the additional structures. Even the main church, which they have added about three floors on, was sealed two days ago, but it is now open.
”You cannot have an existing building and start putting up more buildings on it. Before you can do anything like that, you must confirm that the structure is still stable and can stand additional buildings.”
The Nation gathered that the collapsed building, which was a three-storey that had another three added to it, had been vibrating for sometime before it collapsed.
It was also gathered that over 200 people were in the building, most of them having lunch at the basement, while the construction workers were on the sixth floor.
There were many foreigners, according to sources.
Mattresses, clothes and other household items, including air-conditionersý, were seen lying in the rubble of the building. Besides, a foul odour oozed out of the site.
Fumigants were being distributed to the workers.
National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Red Cross, medical personnel from the state and federal governments and Lagos State Building Inspection Agency personnel were all at the site as excavation continued.
The workers were on the sixth floor, cutting the rods to create an opening to into other floors.
The Nation gathered that all the 130 people rescued alive and the 44 dead were removed from the sixth floor and the basement, which are the only areas the workers have been able to access.
It was also observed that most of the pillars of the collapsed building were still standing.
Confirming the death toll, NEMA’s Southwest spokesman, Ibrahim Farinloye, said the cause of the collpase was still being investigated.
“We were able to work overnight and so, as at now (6pm), we have 130 rescued alive and 44 dead. Nobody can say what caused the collapse. But from the footage shown to me, where all the foundation of the building was shaking before it caved in, it could have been caused by the additional structure.
“Investigations will confirm what really happened. You can see that some of the beams and blocks are still intact. So, some of the permutations cannot be ruled out.
“We are working on worst case scenario that the foundation might have been weakened, which would have led to the collapse.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/synagogue-death-toll-hits-44/

There's a remarkable improvement when compared to the earlier released WAEC results.
Good development, I must say!

DailyPost has just been informed that a South African woman identified as Folswe Elizabeth Maria has just been arrested at the Lagos International Airport after showing signs of the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease.

Operatives at the airport arrested the woman when she disembarked from the Air Morok flight.

After a quick virus test was conducted on her, report says she showed positive result and was immediately arrested. She was from Casablanca in Morocco.

Our Airport source said she was quarantined and taken away almost immediately.

http://dailypost.ng/2014/09/11/breaking-liberian-ebola-patient-arrested-lagos-airport/

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged Nigerians to hold President Goodluck Jonathan responsible, if the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) spreads further.
The party noted that the President failed to stop on Saturday a rally in his support in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, despite the warnings from individuals and groups.
In a statement yesterday in Lagos by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, APC said never before had a President sabotaged his administration’s policy and endangered the lives of his compatriots as Dr Jonathan had done over the EVD.
It said the President, who declared a national emergency on Ebola and advised against large gatherings to prevent the spread of the virus, was the first to flout the advice by failing to stop the rally organised by the so-called Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) in Port Harcourt, a few days after the virus was detected in the city.
This, APC said, happened when contact-tracing was going on to find those who might have had contact with the doctor, who had the disease.
It said: “On the altar of political desperation, President Jonathan put the lives of Nigerians in danger. To realise his ambition for re-election, President Jonathan has shown he is ready to sacrifice as many lives of Nigerians as possible. There goes the President’s statement that his political ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian. This President simply says what he does not mean.
“As we said in our statement on August 28, calling on President Jonathan to halt the TAN rallies, especially the one in Port Harcourt, could anyone guarantee that none of those who have had contact with the doctor who died of the disease would attend the rally? That is why we are calling on Nigerians to hold the President responsible, if Ebola spreads more than it has in the country.”
The party noted that after it called for a halt to the TAN rallies, others, including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and frontline lawyer, Prof. Itse Sagay, in a clearly patriotic duty, issued similar calls.
The party said: “In fact, the APC in Rivers described such a rally, most appropriately, as a ‘firing squad against the people’. But because he will rather be re-elected than give a damn over the safety of the same people who voted him into office; because he will rather transmogrify than transform, President Jonathan ignored all the calls and allowed the rally to hold. This is an unprecedented act of political
desperation.”
APC stressed that for those who might try to spin the issue by saying the President had no control over the organisers of the rally, they should be asked who the rallies will benefit, whose top officials, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, have been attending the rallies and what is the source of the funding of the gatherings.
It said: “The TAN rallies are government-sanctioned. The TAN rallies are the Jonathan administration’s cunning way of beating the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ban on campaigns for next year’s general elections. The TAN rallies highlight the impunity of the Jonathan administration. President Jonathan is the sole beneficiary. He can stop the rallies today, if only he wants to put the nation’s interest above his personal interest.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/apc-to-nigerians-hold-jonathan-responsible-if-ebola-spreads/

Wife of Enugu State gov­ernor, Mrs. Clara Chime, who, last year, quit the Governor’s Lodge, where she lived with Governor Sul­livan Chime after she alleged she was forcefully confined in the Gov­ernment House, has apologised for her actions.

Chime, at the heat of his rift with his wife, had disclosed that she had health challenges and needed his protection. Meanwhile, Clara had replied by saying she was healthy but needed to move out of the Government House.

Mrs. Chime, who had left the state since then, suddenly wrote to Enugu women, apologising and begging them to forgive her for all she did during that period.

In the letter, she personally released to Daily Sun, Mrs. Chime also told Enugu women that Chime is still her husband and the same good man she told them about when she was around.

She, therefore, urged the women to sup­port her husband in any political move he may have in mind.

She told Daily Sun that she was will­ingly making the apology to her husband and the entire Enugu women, having reviewed the actions that led to her leaving the state late last year. Her letter reads: “At the deepest of my thought emanated this truth, which I believe is worth to share with the nation because of the ongoing po­litical movement in Enugu State in which my name is attached.

“At the point I wrote to Human Rights Commission and got linked to Falana & Falana Chambers to facilitate in grant­ing me right of freedom from the Enugu Governor’s Lodge, it was my personal decision because then, His Excellency Governor Sullivan Chime and a brother of mine were brain-washed by a psychiatrist who advised that I should be locked in and confided in an enclosure on the grounds that I was sick, which I’m yet to find out; and must see the end of it.

“The psychiatrist presented to the world that I was suffering from mental illness and till date, has refused to furnish H.E. Governor Sullivan with detailed report of his assumed illness assessment.

“My appearance on Channel TV was to debunk some awkward perceptions, and to be seen and heard by the public, which was triggered on the grounds that H.E. Governor Sullivan Chime permitted dehumanising plans that were targeted at me by his enemies.

“I hereby sincerely apologise and take back my words, leaving other things in the hands of God.

“My dearest Enugu women, like you all know, my teachings, right from the onset have been ‘making heaven a priority; and let the truth be told and accepted at all costs.’ Indeed, I plead with you all to for­give me if by chance I was misunderstood, especially going by the manner the media played out my exit. I still remain that your lovely daughter, teacher, wife and mother.

“I must confess that I miss you all, and please you all should acknowledge that my option of taking an exit then was divine, if you carefully listened to my last speech during my last outing in the state (Enugu) or I advise you renew your memory by getting a copy of my speech, then you will ascertain that it was my personal decision, which was divine from God to take an exit; only that enemies played up my exit like there were other motives they had.

“My dear Enugu women, as we all know, the Bible made us to understand that we must always pray for our leaders at all times!

Like I rightly said to you all three years ago, (during Governor Sullivan Chime second term election) that your votes are for H.E. Governor Sullivan Chime, a man who’s zeal and passion are to create good governance and instill virtues of good gov­ernance in his staff. I remember stressing that your votes weren’t meant for any of his staff rather to him, whom you all know his call for service was divine.

“I hereby state that you all shouldn’t mind the detractors who are using my name to gain cheap loyalty, popularity and distrust towards H.E. Governor Sullivan Chime. He still remains who I have always made you all to believe he was (a lovely God fearing good man!). Please, do not hesitate to ride on with him towards any direction he chooses to go.

“H.E. Governor Sullivan Chime still remains President Goodluck Jonathan’s loyal son and all thanks to Mr. President for believing in him till date. My sincere gratitude and loyalty go to the First Lady of Federal Republic of Nigeria, Her Excel­lency, Dame Patience Jonathan, for the new opportunity God used her to bestow upon me.

“The letter that was published by Sahara Reporters on November 5, 2013 didn’t emanate from me and can never emanate from me.

“Finally, please my family squabbles should be left between Gov Sullivan Ihe­anacho Chime and I, which we too have left in God’s hands. It must seize to be for public consumption. Thank you and God bless.”

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=79651

Enugu State House of Assembly
impeaches and removes the state
Deputy Governor, Mr Sunday
Onyebuchi, from office.
More details later.

http://www.punchng.com/news/enugu-assembly-impeaches-dep-gov/

The Enugu State House of Assembly has removed the state’s Deputy Governor, Sunday Onyebuchi, from office.
The Assembly voted Tuesday morning to sack Mr. Onyebuchi from office.
Details of the impeachment session is still sketchy but the deputy governor’s removal is believed to have been masterminded by Governor Sullivan Chime.
The Assembly accused Mr. Onyebuchi of operating a commercial poultry at his official residence and of disobeying Governor Chime, charges that, under the law, do not qualify as impeachment offences.
The impeached deputy governor had told the impeachment panel set up by the state’s chief judge that Mr. Chime also operated a piggery at the Government House.
Giving evidence before the panel last Wednesday, Mr. Onyebuchi said the governor’s poultry was hurriedly evacuated shortly after the panel commenced sitting.
Mr. Onyebuchi revealed that the state government had budgeted for the maintenance of the poultry since 2011.
The embattled deputy governor, who tendered the state’s budget between 2011 and 2014, said funds had always been provided for the poultry he operated.
He insisted that he did not commit any offence that should have warranted his impeachment and that the poultry farms he and the governor operated were there before they assumed office in 2007.
Details later…

https://m.premiumtimesng.com/news/167305-breaking-enugu-chicken-impeachment-assembly-impeaches-deputy-governor.html

PRESIDENT JONATHAN TO VISIT
GERMANY

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan will leave Abuja early Friday on a private visit to Germany.
The President will be accompanied on the trip by some of his principal aides.
He is expected back in Abuja early
next week.

Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity)

http://reubenabati.com.ng/PRESIDENT-JONATHAN-TO-VISIT-GERMANY.html

Contrary to official claims that President Goodluck Jonathan travelled to Germany on a private visit, LEADERSHIP authoritatively gathered yesterday that the president actually took ill and left for Germany to seek medical care.

Efforts to get a confirmation from the Presidency failed up until the time of going to press, as several calls to his spokesman, Dr Reuben Abati, did not go through and he didn’t respond to an email enquiry either.

Similarly, the senior special assistant to the president on public affairs, Dr Doyin Okupe, did not pick or return several calls to his mobile number last night.

President Jonathan left for Germany yesterday after performing the closing ceremony of the National Conference on Thursday.

Prior to his departure, presidential spokesman Abati had issued a terse statement saying the president would be making a private visit to Germany as from Friday (yesterday)and would be accompanied by some of his principal aides.

It was gathered that the president, on arrival in Germany, headed for a private hospital for medical check-up.

It could not however be confirmed if he went to the same hospital he had visited with his wife last year when the first lady faced some health challenges.

Before his sudden departure for Germany on Thursday, President Jonathan was billed to host members of the just-concluded National Conference to a dinner at the Presidential Villa, but the programme was cancelled at the dying minute.

Although no official reason was given for the cancellation, it was gathered that the development was connected with the president’s state of health which required urgent attention.

An authoritative source in the Presidency told LEADERSHIP that despite assurances that the president would return soon from his trip, it was not likely as his health situation was not too good. He said there was uneasy calm and anxiety in the Presidential Villa yesterday over the state of health of the president.

Meanwhile, the situation has also elicited concern from prominent Ijaw (President Jonathan’s ethnic group) political leaders, some of whom converged on the home of a prominent elder statesman from the ethnic group in Abuja to deliberate on the matter. A source privy to the meeting hinted that the Ijaw sons were considering sending a delegation to visit the president.

The source said before the meeting ended, it was agreed that clearance would be obtained from the Presidential Villa on whether the president is in a state to receive visitors before it would be decided on who would visit him.

Some people had speculated about Mr Jonathan’s health just before his trip to Washington, DC, United States, where he attended the 2014 US-Africa Summit early this month.

http://leadership.ng/news/381803/jonathan-ill-flown-germany

L-R: FCT Minister of State Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio, CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele welcoming President Jonathan to the 8th Annual MSME Finance Conference Entrepreneurship Award in Abuja organized by CBN

L-R: Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele, President Jonathan presenting an award to the Group Managing Director of Union Bank Plc Mr Emeka Emuwa at the 8th Annual MSME Finance Conference Entrepreneurship Award in Abuja organized by CBN

President Jonathan and the ‪#‎Central‬ ‪#‎Bank‬ ‪#‎Governor‬ Mr Godwin Emefiele inspecting an ‪#‎Exhibition‬ at the 8th ‪#‎Annual‬ ‪#‎MSME‬ ‪#‎Finance‬ ‪#‎Conference‬ ‪#‎Entrepreneurship‬ ‪#‎Award‬ in ‪#‎Abuja‬ organized by the CBN

President Jonathan in group photograph with Award winners at the 8th Annual MSME Finance Conference Entrepreneurship Award in Abuja organized by CBN

President Jonathan at the 8th Annual MSME Finance Conference Entrepreneurship Award in Abuja organized under the CBN yesterday.

President Jonathan receiving Tissue Papers made by Students of Government Secondary School Garki Abuja at the 8th Annual MSME Finance Conference Entrepreneurship Award in Abuja organized under the CBN yesterday.

PRESIDENT JONATHAN'S REMARKS AT THE 8TH Annual CBN MSME's CONFERENCE
--
Excerpts;

1. I am delighted to join you here today at this 8th Annual Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Conference. Let me begin by commending the Management of the Central Bank for hosting this important conference yearly, in support of the Transformation Agenda of our administration and our joint commitment to inclusive growth and job creation.

2. Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are recognized, all over the world, as the engine of growth in any development oriented economy. Due to their inherent labour intensive production processes, they also provide a viable platform for job creation.

3. All over the developed world, the contribution of MSMEs to GDP averages about 47 percent. However, here in Nigeria, MSMEs account for only 10 percent of our GDP.As reported by the Small Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), there are about 17.3 million MSMEs in Nigeria compared to the over 40 million MSMEs in Indonesia, whose population is only a little greater than ours. Some of the reasons adduced for this disparity are the limited access to finance, low production technology, poor infrastructure and lack of market access.

4. Ladies and gentlemen, these challenges call for more concrete and concerted measures to enhance, and expand the activities of MSMEs in our country. The focus of this year's conference - Charting Ways to Resolve the Problem of Access to, and Cost of Finance to MSMEs in Nigeria - is, therefore, quite appropriate.

- See more
http://reubenabati.com.ng/8th-CBN-Annual-MSMEs-Conference-Remarks.html#sthash.ZvXOiWf4.dpuf

purplesummer: It doesn't really matter. It's still ending up in another thief's pocket.

lol..

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has so far recovered about N5billion from persons and organisations indicted in the fuel subsidy scam.

The agency’s head, media and publicity, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, made this disclosure during a town hall meeting on fuel subsidy organised by Africa Network of Economic and Environment Justice, ANEEJ, in collaboration with Justice for All, J4A, in Abuja.

According to Uwujaren, the EFCC is currently prosecuting 13 different oil subsidy cases, while investigations are on to bring other indicted persons or companies to justice. “Investigation and prosecution of fuel subsidy cases have not been too easy for us but we are resolute in our determination to ensure that we push all those cases to logical conclusion,” he said.

Underlining the importance the commission places on transparency and corruption issues in the oil sector, Uwujaren said the EFCC presently has a full-fledged section charged with investigation of oil subsidy matters and other extractive industries issues.

He thanked the organisers of the programme for their initiative, saying “as a commission, we welcome any initiative that draws public attention to the monumental fraud that we have in the oil subsidy regime”.

David Ugolor, director, ANEEJ, said the purpose of the town hall meeting was to review how the anti-corruption agencies and the judiciary have fared so far in the investigation and prosecution of indicted persons and companies in the fuel subsidy regime and to also agree on measures needed to be taken to put pressure on the federal government to do more in bringing indicted persons and or companies to justice.

According to Ugolor, “it is widespread that payments of oil subsidy to oil marketers were inflated and several marketers got paid for doing nothing and expenses charged to subsidy account”. He emphasised the need to amend the EFCC Act to create “special courts” for prosecution of corruption cases.

Otsemaye Newton, J4A, called for more synergy among the anti-corruption agencies and the civil society organisations in investigating and prosecuting oil subsidy and other economic and financial crimes cases.



Some of the individuals, firms being prosecuted by EFCC

The EFCC has filed 11 cases before Lagos High Court and the Federal High Court in Lagos where it is prosecuting many individuals and firms before four judges.

Some of those being prosecuted by the EFCC for fuel subsidy support fund scam include Mahmud Tukur, son of the former PDP Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, who is being prosecuted for alleged N1.8billion fuel subsidy fraud.

Others are Ochonogor Alex, Abdullahi Alao, son of the late prominent businessman, Alhaji Abdullazeez Arisekola -Alao, who is being prosecuted for N1.2 billion fuel subsidy.

The suspects also include Oluwaseun Ogunbambo, Mamman, son of a former PDP Chairman, Dr. Ahmadu Ali, and Christian Taylor, who are facing N4.4billion fraud.

Others are Chinyere Anike Nweze, Ogundipe Olaniyan, Olarenwaju Olalusi, Opeyemi Ajuyah, Samuel Owa, Oassisi Wajutom, Rowaye Jubril, Walter Wagbatsoma, Adaoha Ugo-Ndagi, Fakuade Baba Femi and Ezekiel Ejike. EFFC is prosecuting Wagbatsoma over his alleged involvement in N414million fraud.

Some of the firms being prosecuted include Stone Bridge Oil Ltd, Vibrant Ventures Ltd, Majope Investment Ltd, Axenergy Ltd, Geacan Energy Limited, Petroleum Brokers Limited.

Others are Eterna Oil and Gas Plc, Brila Energy Ltd and Ontario Oil and Gas.

http://leadership.ng/news/381370/oil-subsidy-fraud-efcc-recovers-n5bn

President Goodluck Jonathan has appointed Mr Danladi Irmiya Kifasi as the new Head of Service of the Federation as Mallam Bukar Goni Aji retires.

This is contained in a tweet posted by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati.

Kifasi, the new Head of Service of the Federation was, until this appointment, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

http://www.punchng.com/politics/jonathan-appoints-kifasi-new-head-of-service/

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday defended the heavy deployment of soldiers for the just-concluded Osun gubernatorial poll, saying the trend would continue in the 2015 general elections.

The president, who spoke yesterday during Inter-faith Conference in Abuja on the theme: “The imperative of interfaith understanding and cooperation for responsible politics,” also assured that the general polls next year would not divide the country, as wrongly suggested by some persons.

Urging Nigerians to disregard predictions of anarchy in 2015, the nation’s leader said: “Our challenges in the present must not be allowed to inhibit our progress.”

He lamented that as the 2015 elections draw near, “the doomsday sayers are out and predicting how Nigeria is going to catch fire next year. In the opinion of some so-called experts, our ethnic and religious differences are bound to boil over. They portray us doomed to fail.”

“But I can say categorically that Nigeria will not disintegrate; we will not fail. We will surely get over our challenges and become even a stronger nation.”

Jonathan blamed the Internet and the social media for aggravating the fear of many Nigerians towards 2015, saying: “You will be attempted to think along the same line. In a country of over 170 million people, the opinion of very few is now being elevated above that of over 100 million Nigerians.

“I once again assure Nigerians and the international community that the 2015 elections will come and go and Nigeria will stand stronger. The Nigerians I know and interact with every day are only asking for one thing in the election, transparency, free and fair conduct, and I have promised them.”

He added: “They want to vote and want their votes to count; they don’t want to be molested, they don’t want ballot boxes to be hijacked by criminals. If they are convinced that the process is free, fair and credible, they have no reason to be angry. Nobody can fight against one man one vote, one woman one vote, one youth one vote, and government will make sure that Nigerians are not killed during and after elections.

Expressing disappointment at the opposition to troops deployment by the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, the president said their position shock him.

“I am surprised that some political parties are agitating that government should withdraw security during and after elections. What surprises me most is that even some labour leaders are agitating that government should not secure people during elections. And I wonder how short human memories are.

“We’ve just finished 2011 elections and we are talking about three years ago or quite close to four years ago and we know what happened in Bauchi. About 10 youth corpers were slaughtered in that election. We know what happened in Kano; property worth millions of naira were destroyed, some of the people have not gotten back to their houses.”

“We know what happened in Akwa Ibom where some criminals even had to severe the genitals of some men in the name of politics. Demons who want to hold political office. In that kind of situation, how would a person who called himself a labour leader come out publicly to say government should not secure people. I don’t agree with them. My promise of free and fair elections is clear.

Continuing, Jonathan insisted that all the governorship elections that had been conducted were free and fair.

“I am from the PDP, the ruling party, but I don’t use that strength to make sure that PDP must win always. The PDP has lost election in Edo State, we lost election in Anambra State, we lost election in Ondo State and, of course, only two days back, we lost election in Osun State.

“But we have said that this country must change. The kind of elections that we had in the 60s that led to the crisis in the West, that threatened the sovereignty of this country cannot come up again. The kind of elections we had during the Second Republic that some people won elections as governors and ran away from the state that they claimed elected them, cannot come up again. Nigerians must vote and our vote must count.”

The president said if he was interested in manipulating elections, his party, the PDP would not lose governorship election in any state.

He said: “All what we want is credible election. I always tell politicians that none our own ambition is worth the blood of any one Nigerian. If anybody wants to be a president, governor, a senator or anything, know that your ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian.”

“How many of us can line up our children and kill them just because we want to be president. Can we use our children for sacrifice because we want to be governors? Why do we want other people’s children to die? Do we politicians think that we are created differently by the Almighty God? “

“I think we are just privileged to hold the offices we are holding and we must know that, we must make sure that this incessant killings must stop.

“Responsible politics is the politics of service. Anything short of these attributes makes politics a bad thing and destructive. We must continue to preach this message for people. Politics is all about serving people and if people don’t want you to serve go and stay in your house.

“Our states are not our private estates. This country is not owned by any individual. If you are called to serve, you serve. If it is not your turn, you leave; whenever it is your time, people will say come and serve at all levels.”

On the conference, he said: “It is heartwarming that there are people of diverse religion in this conference today. This is for our good; it is a clear demonstration of deep religious tolerance and understanding that have permeated minds of Nigerians out to embrace one another, having realised the need for mutual tolerance and understanding.”

“The interfaith initiative, as I understand it, is conceived to be a unifier, it is an avenue for all and sundry to engage with one another constructively, to understand one another, to respect one another and to care for one another.”

The President praised the organisers for the foresight in convening such a conference on a topical issue that seems to encourage political understanding among religious adherents, pointing out that there are many countries with one religion and still at war with one another.

Speaking further, he said: “We have seen countries with one single cultural heritage go to war because of minor reason. We are a people created by God and we enjoy the creation. Our country was also possible by Him and I am confident that working together, we can make our country even a better place for ourselves and our children. I will rather we focus on the mechanism that we have developed by ourselves as we evolved into a viral nation.”

“Having said this, I do not run away from the fact that we have challenges, just like any other country. I do not deny the fact that there is a reason for people to express fears about our future.

“Some politicians have been making reckless and irresponsible statements that are capable of stoking tension and inciting people to take laws into their hands and destabilise the country. But we have to understand that these statements are not borne out of the genuine reason of mood and temperament of Nigerians. Rather, these enemies of peace are only trying to spoil the mood and create temptous temperature, but they will fail.”

“Unfortunately, these statement are coming from very senior people. Our elders are making the whole country to boil. From my interactions with so many young Nigerians, just a few days back, I addressed a group of young professionals, the young generation want to live together. They want a better country where they will have the infrastructure – power, good health services, good educational facilities, roads etc. They are not interested in breaking the nation.

“But those of us who are old mainly from my age and above continue to breach peace in this country. We are not helping our children at all,” Mr. Jonathan regretted.

http://dailypost.ng/2014/08/12/2015-jonathan-warns-nigerians-expect-soldiers-elections/